AGO Suspects Gratuity In Cooking Oil Scarcity, Trade Minister Lutfi's Subordinate Ensures The Ministry Of Trade Follows Legal Process

Secretary General of the Ministry of Trade Suhanto. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of Trade)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Trade affirms its commitment to support every law enforcement effort carried out by the Attorney General's Office. The Ministry of Trade also ensures that public services related to export licensing will not be disrupted and will run normally.

The statement was in response to allegations of gratification in providing export approval facilities from the Ministry of Trade to two cooking oil companies revealed by the Attorney General's Office. As a result, there is a shortage of cooking oil supply in the country. To follow up, the Attorney General's Office has officially raised the status of the investigation to the investigation stage.

"The export licensing service runs normally and is not disturbed by the current legal process. The Ministry of Trade will support the law enforcement process in accordance with the procedures and applicable laws and regulations," said the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Trade Suhanto in Jakarta, Wednesday, April 6.

According to Suhanto, Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi has given directions to all officials within the Ministry of Trade to provide maximum and transparent services.

"From the start, the Trade Minister asked all his staff to be committed to avoiding all forms of abuse of authority and to be proactive in taking action against procedural violations. Employees are also asked to carry out their duties in accordance with applicable laws and regulations and to prioritize the general principles of good governance," he said.

Suhanto hopes that the wider community, especially law enforcement officers, are expected to continue to prioritize the principle of presumption of innocence in investigating allegations of gratification in granting export approval from the Ministry of Trade to the two cooking oil companies.

"Thus, we do not judge someone before proven guilty," he said.